A survey is given of the interpretation about Alpine diabases, gabbros and serpentinites from literature of the last 35 years. The diabases have turned out to be submarine lava flows. There are a few new observations on the ophiolitic gabbros, however their alteration into saussurite is not yet clearly understood. The serpentinites may be derived from ultramafic intrusion bodies. There is a broad discussion about field observations. A comparison is made between new and old hypotheses.